Is There A Difference Between Celiac Disease And Gluten Intolerance/sensitivity?

[FabulaScribe]

I'm new to this, but have suspected for years that I have a problem with wheat. I recently began reading everything I can get my hands on, and I've been eating gluten-free for 8 days with great results so far.

I have read some web sites that seem to consider a gluten allergy/sensitivity to be included under the title of Celiac Disease and I've seen other things that seem to separate the two. I'm not anemic and am not underweight - quite the opposite, in fact. I've started to drop weight just since I went gluten-free, and until today I wasn't even watching my calories or anything. I don't want to ask my doctor to test me for Celiac Disease if all I am dealing with is an allergy. My symptoms are mental focus problems, gas bloating, water bloating, consistant weight gain and trouble losing weight, horrible fatigue, depression, migraines, arthritis - things like that. But no malnutrition.

Thanks for whatever anyone can tell me!

[mftnchn]

You might find this website helpful: Open Original Shared Link

Good luck, I'm just two steps (days) ahead!

[lonewolf]

This is my opinion: Celiac Disease is one form of gluten intolerance. True Celiac Disease can only be diagnosed if there is damage to the villi of the small intestines. BUT, there are many other manifestations of gluten intolerance, most just as serious as celiac disease. Some people have neurological problems, some have severe arthritis or other horrible illnesses. I have a kidney problem that is directly linked to gluten intake. (No nephrologist or GI would ever diagnose me as having such, but I've figured it out on my own.) Since there are no tests for anything other than villi damage, that is the only symptom that gets the attention.

You might not have "true" celiac disease, but you may still be completely gluten intolerant. It doesn't mean you have any less of a problem with gluten.

[darlindeb25]

I feel that flatten villi is the final stages of celiac disease, yet it is celiac disease no matter what. For now, for most doctors, it's celiac disease only if they see flatten villi. I feel they just have not developed testing methods to know it's celiac disease before the flatten villi happen. We should not have to wait to be that sick before knowing.

At the vendor fair this weekend, a group of us were talking and someone asked what the difference is between gluten intolerance and celiac disease and the answer was, "Absolutely nothing, if you are intolerant, then you are celiac!" I agree, totally. There is no fine line, just different stages of the disease, flattened villi being a stage none of us should have to reach before being diagnosed. One elderly gentleman told me he had been sick most of his life. He had gone to the doctor year after year with severe diarrhea and was told all those things we have heard, IBS, colitus, nervous stomach, etc. He was 70 yrs old before they decided it was celiac disease and now, no diarrhea. BUT, look at the value of the life he lived--it's sad.